Cost price fodder arrives for Lakeland milk producers

A local co-op has helped to relieve the fodder shortage which is causing hardship for many farmers across County Cavan and beyond by bringing in consignments to sell at 'cost price'.

Although the weather forecast for Cavan over the coming week is for more over cast weather and showers, hindering the chances of decent growth and letting the cattle out, the delivery of fooder to Lakeland Dairies has at last provided some good news today for many of the co-op's  milk producers enduring the ongoing fodder crisis. The consignments arrived from the UK, and the north and south-east of Ireland.

The fodder being brought in by Lakeland includes haylage, hay and straw and is being made available through Lakeland stores in Lough Egish, Longford, Bailieboro and Killeshandra. Lakeland said it will continue to bring in fodder to alleviate the situation for its milk producers until grass growth improves.

Wet and cold weather conditions have meant a lack of grass growth at the start of the milk production season where grass usually becomes the primary diet for the dairy herd at this time of year. Fodder is also in generally short supply following poor weather in 2012.